Mumps

Mumps is a disease that used to be very common in the United States. In fact, before the mumps vaccine, almost everyone in the United States got mumps during childhood. But thanks to the vaccine, the number of mumps cases in Americans has dropped by over 99%.

There are 2 vaccines that can prevent mumps:

The MMR vaccine protects children and adults from mumps, measles, and rubella

The MMRV vaccine protects children from mumps, measles, rubella, and chickenpox

Mumps is a contagious disease — it spreads easily from person to person. And it can lead to serious complications, like hearing loss.

Although mumps is rare, infections can still happen in places where people are in close contact with each other — like schools, colleges, and camps.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent mumps. When enough people in a community get vaccinated for mumps, the entire community is less likely to get the disease. So when you and your family get vaccinated, you help keep yourselves and your community healthy.

4 through 6 years for the second dose (or sooner as long as it’s 28 days after the first dose)

Children ages 1 through 12 years can get the MMRV vaccine, which is a combination vaccine that also protects against measles, rubella, and chickenpox. Your child’s doctor can recommend the vaccine that’s right for your child.

Adults

Adults may need to get the mumps vaccine if they didn’t get it as a child. In general, everyone age 18 and older born after 1956 who has not had mumps needs at least 1 dose of the mumps vaccine.

Like any medicine, there's a very small chance that the mumps vaccine could cause a serious reaction. Keep in mind that getting the mumps vaccine is much safer than getting mumps. Learn more about vaccine side effects.